December 26, 2012
Reader Mockup: Updating a Cave-like Porch
Hey there, friends! Man, do I have a backlog of reader home mockups to share with you! I've gotten so wrapped up in creating the actual mockups, that I haven't had a chance to write up the blog posts to go along with them. Well, in an attempt to remedy that, I'm here with an exciting one today.
Pete wrote to us a few months ago about helping him out with mockups for some of the homes he works on. I say this is an exciting one, because Pete's job is to give neglected homes new life again... for lack of a better term, he flips houses. For me, that's exciting, because it means I get to be extra creative with my suggestions, since almost anything is on the table!
So, when he sent over this very dated home with a cave of a porch, I was expecting a challenge, but it really put my creative juices to the test. Here's Pete's original email, along with what the home looked like when they bought it:
[caption id="attachment_2995" align="alignnone" width="1796"]
I have an especially ugly house I need to have a rendering done on. As far as inspiration goes, we were thinking of maybe adding some veneer stone to the front (example color attached), changing that metal trellace to some sort of wood and stone columns, adding window crossheads and paneled or board and batten shutters, painting the brick a modern light grey color, changing all brown trim to white, and changing the windows to either white casements or if approved by the board, white double hungs with grids. Either way the new windows would get grids. New landscaping with some taller plantings to go with the height of the house. We are also replacing the roof in a darker grey color, attached. The current white vinyl siding would get changed out to a vinyl shake shingle product that would coordinate (but doesn't need to match necessarily) with the house paint color. The real challenge I think is to make the entry more grand and inviting and to set it off from the rest of the house if possible. We can make any changes happen, so feel free to use your imagination. I just wanted to give you a general direction of how we were approaching it.[/caption]
In need of some love for sure! This house was showing some signs of neglect big time, but it also had some other issues to contend with. For one, those scrolly metal pillars. Not only do they look rusty and dated, but with the odd arrangement of the porch— set back inside the front plane of the house— the metal pillars gave the whole entry a feeling of walking into a cell, or as the title of this post suggests... a cave. The bars on the door and surrounding brick walls on three sides only add to the ominous jailed feeling, with everything combining to make this entry come across as very uninviting and cold.
I agreed with Pete that the porch area needed some definition. My solution was to add a small white pergola over the area to make it a bit grander and help reduce the cave effect. I also added a small overhang above the lower window on the larger expanse of the house. I think it helps break up the flat surface and adds some architectural detail and visual interest to that area. Updating the windows with trim and shutters adds a whole new level of contrast and interest, and staging the porch area with some plants and seating makes it much more welcoming.
The final touch was adding some colorful plantings, of varying heights, around the walkway. This helps break up that big expanse of brick also, and provides a clear visual path to the entry.
So what do you think? What would you have done if this were your home? Pete has promised to send me photos when they finish with the rennovation, so hopefully I'll be able to post an update on this home in the near future! :)
As always, if you'd like to have a photoshop rendering done to help out with inspiration or visualizing ideas for your home, check out our services page for all the info on pricing and how to submit your photos. You can also see more of our renderings in our portfolio.
Have a great day, friends!
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